Microsoft to unveil free SQL Server engine

Thanks to Joe Jones for the tip: Microsoft will announce a freely distributable version of SQL Server 7.0 next week--dubbed the Microsoft Data Engine (MDE)--that can be embedded in other applications. MDE, which will be unveiled at TechEd, is designed for developers that need to integrate data storage into their applications that can later be upsized to SQL Server. MDE is also included with Microsoft Access 2000, a component of Office 2000 Professional Edition. This allows Access users to utilize the SQL Server core rather than the dated "Jet" core normally used by Access